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Dogs, brews, music will reign at Longmont's inaugural Paws in the Park event

Day-long benefit for Longmont Humane Society

By Magdalena WegrzynLongmont Times-Call

Posted:
06/20/2012 08:02:22 PM MDT

Updated:
06/20/2012 08:05:20 PM MDT

What: Paws in the Park

When: 1 to 9 p.m. Saturday

Where: Roger's Grove Park, 220 Hover St., Longmont. A free shuttle from the Boulder County Fairground, 9595 Nelson Road, will drop off people and dogs at Roger's Grove.

Cost: $5 cover charge. Children 5 and under admitted free.

LONGMONT -- Left Hand Brewing Co.'s latest fundraiser for the Longmont Humane Society is a mix of Boulder County summer staples: beer, dogs and music.

Paws in the Park -- a family-friendly, dog-themed festival celebrating canines and local bands -- will take place Saturday at Roger's Grove Park in Longmont.

"It's an effort to make a really awesome signature event for the Longmont community and help support the Longmont Humane Society," said Josh Goldberg, Left Hand's community liaison and assistant tasting room manager. He's planning for 500 to 1,000 people to attend.

Several bands, including Denny Driscoll and the Left Hand Market Boys, Halden Wofford & the Hi-Beams, Cat Jerky and Bonnie & the Clydes, are scheduled to perform. Dogs from several groups, including the Longmont Police Department's K-9 unit and Zoom Room, will demonstrate agility courses, urban herding and disc catching. Several food trucks will be on site.

Organizers also made a concerted effort to market the event to Longmont's Latino community, Goldberg said. Fliers advertising Paws in the Park are in Spanish, salsa band Conjunto Colores will perform and Dia Y Noche Cafe will have its food truck at the event.

Proceeds from the event, including $1 from the sale of every Left Hand brew, will benefit the Longmont Humane Society. The money will go into the nonprofit's general operating fund, said Liz Smokowski, executive director of the humane society.

"Part of our goal is to reconnect with the community, and so an activity like this, that happens in a local park, that reaches a large demographic of the community, really helps us get our message out there," she said.

The humane society has recruited its volunteers to help with Paws in the Park, and during the event, LHS will offer microchipping and nail trims and will have on-site adoptions available.

In past summers, Left Hand hosted three benefit dog washes at the brewery for the humane society. Paws in the Parks will eventually replace the three fundraisers with one, big event, Goldberg said. Two Bubbly at the Brewery events are still scheduled this summer, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 15 and Aug. 12 at Left Hand, 1265 Boston Ave.

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